Seasonal and annual occurrence of Mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Makaha and Waianae Valleys, Oahu, Hawaii.
Harris E. J., Lee C. Y. L.
Author Affiliation: Trop. Fruit & Vegetable Res. Lab., ARS, USDA, PO Box 2280, Honolulu, HI 96804, USA.
Environmental Entomology 15 : 507-512
Abstract : A long-term study of trap catches and fruit sampling showed definitive habitat-related patterns of occurrence of populations of Ceratitis capitata in Hawaii. In general, seasonal and annual fluctuations in patterns of occurrence were influenced by seasonal and annual differences in abundance of coffee berries and distribution of other fruits. Three distinct areas of activity were observed. The most ecologically significant occurred in coffee in the upper part of Makaha and Waianae Valleys with a mean catch of 0.78 and 0.32 flies/trap per day, respectively. The other, dependent upon dispersing flies, occurred in the common residential area in the lower part of each valley. The most important host fruits were coffee, false kamani (Terminalia catappa), common guava, mango and mock orange (Murraya paniculata). The stabilizing influence of coffee on the population of the tephritid and its propensity to disperse are discussed.